US PTO 8,809,515 "515" Provides Opportunity to Design, Optimize and
Target Dicerna's DsiRNAs in Drug Development

WATERTOWN, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Dicerna Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:DRNA), a leader in the development
of RNAi-based therapeutics, today announced a series of recently issued
patents providing broad composition and method of use claims covering
double stranded RNA molecules, called dicer substrate siRNAs (DsiRNAs).
These patents have issued over the last several months from the
intellectual property licensed by Dicerna from the City of Hope (COH)
estate in November 2007.

The newly issued claims provide broad protection for the therapeutic use
of DsiRNA oligonucleotides, a technology at the core of Dicerna's
current product pipeline development programs. In their breadth, the
issued claims clearly establish the dicer substrate technology as a
distinct platform approach to harnessing the RNAi phenomenon in the
development of human therapeutic products for multiple indications. The
collection of recently issued claims cover composition and method of use
type claims that allow an expansive approach to the use of DsiRNAs with
minimal restriction on the molecular structure of DsiRNAs; thereby,
maximizing the design flexibility in preparing therapeutic molecules.

"As we move into clinical development of our product candidates, the
issuance of these new patents adds significantly to our intellectual
property estate. These patents also strengthen the original City of Hope
patent, for which we are a licensee," commented Douglas M. Fambrough,
Ph.D., Dicerna's President and CEO. The most recently issued patent, US
PTO 8,809,515,"515" issued on August 19, 2014, claims in broad terms a
pharmaceutical composition comprised of a very generally described
dicer-substrate. "The generality of the claim language captures the
breadth of opportunity we have in designing, optimizing, and targeting
our DsiRNAs," continued Dr. Fambrough.

"This has been a productive period in the prosecution of these cases.
These patents broadly support our activities and those of our partners,"
said David W. Miller, Ph.D., Vice President, Business Development. Since
February of this year, four patents have issued from the original City
of Hope application, "Methods and Compositions for the Specific
Inhibition of Gene Expression by Double-Stranded RNA." The other patents
issued from the US PTO are 8,658,356; 8,691,786; and 8,796,444.

About Dicerna Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Dicerna is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and
development of innovative treatments for rare, inherited diseases
involving the liver and for cancers that are genetically defined. The
Company is using its proprietary RNA interference (RNAi) technology
platform to build a broad pipeline in these therapeutic areas. In both
rare diseases and oncology, Dicerna is pursuing targets that have
historically been difficult to inhibit using conventional approaches,
but where connections between targets and diseases are well understood
and documented. The Company intends to discover, develop and
commercialize novel therapeutics either on its own or in collaboration
with pharmaceutical partners. For more information, please visit www.dicerna.com.

Cautionary Note on Forward-Looking Statements

This press release includes forward-looking statements, including
statements regarding Dicerna's clinical development. Such
forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties,
including financial, scientific, and regulatory risks regarding clinical
development that could cause actual results to differ materially from
those expressed or implied in such statements. Applicable risks and
uncertainties include those identified under the heading "Risk Factors"
included in the Form 10-Q filed August 7, 2014, and in other filings
that Dicerna may make with the SEC in the future. The forward-looking
statements contained in this press release reflect Dicerna's current
views with respect to future events, and Dicerna does not undertake and
specifically disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking
statements.